Adjustable angle vise



Oct. 22, 1963 R. F. WEST ADJUSTABLE ANGLE VISE Filed Sept. 28,- 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

' INVENTOR. ROBERT E WEST BY 'jw flwyww ma ATTORN Y3 Oct 22,1963 R. F. WEST 3,107,908

ADJUSTABLE ANGLE VISE I Filed Sept. 28, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3'

uvwsmm. ROBERT E WEST TO NEYS Unit 3,107,908 ADJUSTABLE ANGLE VISE Robert F. West, Simsbury, Conn., assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Comm, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Sept. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 59,075 3 Claims. (Cl. 26971) The present invention generally relates to gripping devices such as vises and is more particularly directed to the provision of an improved vise having an exceptionally wide range of adjustability for the jaws.

Included among the objects of this invention is the provision of an improved vise wherein the gripping jaws can be easily adjusted in rotated position, longitudinal position and angle of inclination relative to a base structure and which can be economically manufactured and easily adjusted to provide accurate jaw positioning.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the improved vise of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the jaw assembly supporting structure of the vise of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the vise of FIG. 1 with a portion of the locking lever and screw handle cut away; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross section View of the details of the locking structure.

Referring to the preferred embodiment of this invention shown in the accompanying drawings, it is noted that this improved adjustable angle vise comprises a jaw assembly designated positioned on top of a supporting assembly designated 12 for movement relative thereto. Assembly 12 includes a base 14, generally rectangular in shape and having a pair of mounting lugs 15 extending from opposite ends thereof to facilitate securing of the base to the bed of a milling machine or the like.

Adjacent each corner of base 14, there is provided an upstanding boss or ear, those at the front being desig nated 17 and 18, those at the rear being designated 19 and 29. Platform 22 of assembly 12 is also generally rectangular and has a flat upper surface 23 and depending bosses or legs 25, 26 adjacent the front corners and 27, 28 adjacent the rear corners. Legs and 26 fit within the space between ears 17 and 18 and each leg is pinned to its adjacent ear as at 30 and 31 to establish pivotal connection between the base and the platform. Legs 27 and 28 are spaced apart so as to be vertically aligned with the associated ears 19 and 20 and dimensioned so that surface 23 is parallel to base mounting surface 33 when legs 27 and 28 abut ears 19 and 20, respectively, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

In order to adjust the position of platform 22 relative to base 14, struts 35 and 36 are provided. Strut 35 is pivotally connected to base 14 by fastener 38 and is provided with an arcuate portion 39 and a slotted portion 40 through which releasable fastener or thumb screw 42 extends into leg 28. Strut 36 is identical with strut 35 and is pivotally secured to base 14 by fastener 44 and adjustably secured to leg 27 by releasable fastener 45. Loosening of fasteners 42 and 45 permits pivoting of platform 22 relative to base 14, until the desired angular relationship is obtained after which fasteners 42 and 45 are tightened to fix the platform in the desired position. As seen in FIG. 1, cooperating indicia on leg 12 and index on car 18 facilitate obtaining the desired platform 3 ,187,988 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 ice below surface 23 regardless of the adjusted position of the platform.

Jaw assembly 10 includes a first or fixed gripping jaw 50 having an integral lateral extension or body member 52 that terminates in rear supporting post 54. Upper surface 56 and lower surface 57 are substantially flat and parallel with upper surface 56 forming the supporting and guiding surface for the adjustable or second jaw 60.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, body member 52 is provided on opening or groove 62 which, in the illustrated embodiment, extends throughout the length of the member. Ridges 64 extend in parallel relationship along the sidewalls of groove 62 and act as guide surfaces for movable jaw retainer plate 66 fastened to the underside of depending tongue 67 of jaw 60 and cooperating therewith to guide jaw 60 for sliding movement toward and away from jaw 50 in accord with rotation of lead screw 69 threadably received in post 54. Conventional handle 70 assists in producing the desired movement of jaw 60.

In order to secure jaw assembly 10 to supporting assembly 12 in whatever position is desired, the sidewalls of groove 62 are provided with opposed, inwardly extending and parallel shoulders 72 and 73, which in the preferred embodiment, extend throughout the length of the groove. These shoulders cooperate with a fastening assembly designated 75 that is carried by platform 22.

As best seen in FIG. 4, fastening assembly 75 includes a boss 77 having a laterally inclined cam surface 78 and formed integrally with platform 22 in the illustrated em bodiment. Boss 77 is located in the approximate center of platform 22 and a passageway 78 extends therethrough to receive threaded fastener or stud 80. Bridge plate or cross member 82 is dimensioned to extend across shoulders 72 and 73 and is centrally apertured to receive stud 80. After stud 80 is passed through plate 82 and passageway 78, movable cam 84 is threaded on the lower end thereof and locked in position by locknut 85 and washer 86. Downward withdrawal of stud 80 is prevented by engagement of head 87 with plate 82 and spring 88 is provided to continuously urge earns 78 and 84 into engagement. Cam operating lever 90 is secured to cam 84 so that movement of lever 90 out of the plane of FIG. 4 causes relative rotation of cams 78 and 84 to draw bridge plate 82 towards surface 23 of platform 22. Thus, with the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 3, body member 52 is clamped against platform 22 by virtue of the engagement of plate 82 with shoulders 72, 73 upon appropriate rotation of lever 90 and cam 84.

With earns 78 and 84 in the relative position shown in FIG. 4, plate 82 loosely engages shoulders 72, 73 so that, because plate 82 is free to rotate on stud 80, jaw assembly 10 is rotatable 360 to any desired position. Likewise, because plate 82 loosely engages shoulders 72, 73 and because member 52 is substantially longer than platform 22, jaw assembly 10 is slidable along platform 22. After sliding and rotating the jaw assembly to the desired position before or after platform 22 has been pivoted and locked in the desired position, cam 84 is rotated by moving lever 90 to lock the jaw assembly in adjusted position on the platform. It is noted that lever 90 extends rearwardly between struts 35 and 36 to provide maximum leverage to rotate cam 84 without interfering with the pivotal adjustment of the platform, the rotation of lead screw 69 or the workpiece (not shown) positioned between the jaws.

The aforedescribed structure not only provides a wide range of adjustability heretofore not obtainable in such vises but also is exceedingly easy to operate, economical to manufacture and durable in operation.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vise comprising a base, a platform, means pivotally mounting said platform adjacent one end thereof on said base, said platform having a substantially fiat upper surface, a strut on each side of said base and said platform, said struts being pivotally secured to said base and adjustably secured to said platform for securing said platform in the desired pivoted position relative to said base, a first jaw having a lateral extension slidable and rotatable on said upper surface of said platform, a second jaw mounted on said jaw extension for movement toward and away from said first jaw, an elongated opening in said jaw extension facing said platform, parallel opposed shoulders extending from the sidewalls of said opening, fastening means mounted on said platform and extending upwardly therethrough into the elongated opening in said jaw extension, said fastening means including a rotatable cross member seated on and slidable along the upper surface of said shoulders thereby to permit rotation of said jaw extension relative to said platform, and a lever for tightening said fastening means to clamp said jaw extension on said platform to prevent sliding and rotating movement of said jaw extension relative to said platform.

2. A vise comprising a base, a platform, means pivotally mounting said platform adjacent one end thereof on said base, said platform having a substantially flat upper surface, means interconnecting said base and said platform, said means including a pivotal connection between said base and said platform and means spaced from the pivotal connection for securing said platform in the desired pivoted position relative to said base, a first jaw having a lateral extension slidable and rotatable on said upper surface of said platform, a second jaw mounted on said jaw extension for movement toward and away from said first jaw, an elongated opening in said jaw extension facing said platform, parallel opposed shoulders extending from the sidewalls of said opening, an aperture formed centrally of said platform and extending therethrough, a downwardly facing cam disposed about said aperture on the underside of said platform, a stud extending upwardly through said aperture, a second cam complementary in shape to said first cam and secured adjacent the lower end of said stud, a cross member rotatably secured to said stud adjacent the upper end thereof, said cross member being seated on and slidable along the upper surface of said shoulders, and a lever connected to said first cam relative to said second cam to force said stud downwardly in said aperture thereby to clamp said jaw extension between said platform and said cross member.

3. A vise comprising a base, a platform, means mounting said platform in said base for pivotal movement about one end thereof, said platform having a substantially flat upper surface, a strut on each side of said base and pivotally secured thereto at a point spaced from the pivot point of said platform, each said strut having a longi tudinally extending slot formed therein, a fastener extending through each said slot and secured to said platform for clamping the strut thereto to secure said platform in the desired pivoted position relative to said base, a first jaw having a lateral extension slidable and rotatable on said upper surface of said platform, a second jaw mounted on said jaw extension for movement toward and away from said first jaw, an elongated opening in said jaw extension facing said platform, parallel opposed shoulders extending from the sidewalls of said opening, an aperture in said platform located centrally thereof, a stud extending through said aperture into the elongated opening in said jaw extension, a cross member being secured adjacent the upper end of said stud and rotatable relative to said base, first cam means on the underside of said platform adjacent said aperture, second cam means carried by the lower end of said stud and engageable with said first cam means to effect movement of said cross member towards said platform whereby said jaw'extension is clamped on said platform, and a lever for rotating said second cam means, said lever being mounted on said stud and extending rearwardly thereof between said stints.

Great Britain Feb. 20, 1930 

1. A VISE COMPRISING A BASE, A PLATFORM, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED SAID PLATFORM ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF ON SAID BASE, SAID PLATFORM HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT UPPER SURFACE, A STRUT ON EACH SIDE OF SAID BASE AND SAID PLATFORM, SAID STRUTS BEING PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID BASE AND ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO SAID PLATFORM FOR SECURING SAID PLATFORM IN THE DESIRED PIVOTED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID BASE, A FIRST JAW HAVING A LATERAL EXTENSION SLIDABLE AND ROTATABLE ON SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PLATFORM , A SECOND JAW MOUNTED ON SAID JAW EXTENSION FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST JAW, AN ELONGATED OPENING IN SAID JAW EXTENSION FACING SAID PLATFORM, PARALLEL OPPOSED SHOULDERS EXTENDING FROM THE SIDEWALLS OF SAID OPENING FASTENING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH INTO THE ELONGATED OPENING IN SAID JAW EXTENSION, SAID FASTENING MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLE CROSS MEMBER SEATED ON AND SLIDABLE ALONG THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID SHOULDERS THEREBY TO PERMIT ROTATION OF SAID JAW EXTENSION RELATIVE TO SAID PLATFORM, AND A LEVER FOR TIGHTENING SAID FASTENING MEANS TO CLAMP SAID JAW EXTENSION ON SAID PLATFORM TO PREVENT SLIDING AND ROTATING MOVEMENT OF SAID JAW EXTENSION RELATIVE TO SAID PLATFORM. 